Apparatus for handling pottery ware molds



Aug. 17, 1954 w. A. JOHNSON EfAl. 2,686,587

, APPARATUS FOR HANDLING POTTERY WARE MOLDS- Filed Feb. 24, 1950 12 sheets sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. IIJLYIIA JOH VJOW Aug. 17, 1954 w. A. JOHNSQN ETAL 2,686,587

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING POTTERY WARE Moms Filed Feb. 24, 1950 12 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 17, 1954 w. A. JOHNSON ETAL 2,686,587

APPARATUS koR HANDLING POTTERY WARE MOLDS Filed Feb. 24, 1950- 12 sheets-sheet a Aug. 17, 1954 w. A. JOHNSON T APPARATUS FOR'HANDLING POTTERY WARE MOLDS H M@ my. 4? m .1 a 1 n 2 M M 1 a 1 f3 B B 1954 w. A. JOHNS-ON ETAL 2,686,587

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING POTTERY WARE HOLDS Filed Feb. 24, 1950 12 Sheets-Shet 5 x Asp 1954 w. A. JOHNSON ETAL 2,686,587

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING POTTERY WARE MOLDS 12 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Feb. 24, 1950 I WW my 1M 7m M ma 1 1 5% 1954 w. A. JOHNSON ETAL 2,686,587

. APPARATUS FOR HANDLING POTTERY WARE HOLDS 12 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Feb. 24, 1950 Z mmm mm A? max M A 7} M w my My W 3 Aug. 17, 1954 w. A. JOHNSON ETAL 2,686,587

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING POTTERY WARE MOLDS Filed Feb. 24, 1950 12 Sheets-Sheet 8 IN V EN TOR.

Filed Feb. 24, 1950 Aug. 17, 1954 W. A. JOHNSON ETAL APPARATUS FOR HANDLING POTTERY WARE MOLDS 12 Sheets-Sheet 9 1954 w. A. JOHNSON ETAL 2,686,587

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING POTTERY WARE HOLDS Filed Feb. 24, 1950 12 Sheets-Sheet 10 a M/ M $427M M WW 3 Aug. 17, 1954 w. A. JOHNSON ETAL APPARATUS FOR mwnuuc POTTERY WARE uows Filed Feb. 24. 1950 12 Sheets-Sheet 11 Aug. 17, 1954 Filed Feb. 24, 1950 W. A. JOHNSON EI'AL APPARATUS FOR HANDLING POTTERY WARE MOLDS 12 Sheets-Sheet 12 Patented Aug. 17, 1954 APPARATUS FOR HANDLING POTTERY WARE MOLDS Walter A. Johnson, Syracuse, and Norman 1. Sebell, Dewitt, N. Y., assignors to Onondaga Pottery Company, Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application February 24, 1950, Serial No. 146,054

3 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for handling pottery ware moulds, and more particularly to apparatus for automatically removing moulds with ware formed thereon from the turret of a jiggering machine, advancing the moulds through a drying oven, and returning empty moulds to the jigger turret.

The invention has as an object apparatus of the type referred to embodying a particularly compact structure of simple arrangment which is capable of handling the moulds emciently at high speeds without damage to the moulds, or the newly formed ware therein, and which functions over long periods of operation with unusually little maintenance.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate correspondin parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a mould handling apparatus embodying our invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevational view looking to the left, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view taken on line 33, Figure'l.

Figure 4 is an enlarged view taken on line 4-4, Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged top plan view of the ware forming machine and contiguous portions of the mould conveyors.

Figure 6 is an enlarged front elevational view of the structure shown at the right in Figure l, with parts taken in section on line 5-4;, Figure 3.

Figure 7 is enlarged front elevational view, partly in section, of the left hand portion of the structure shown in Figure 1.

Figure 8 is an enlarged end elevational view, with parts in section, of the structure shown in Figure 7, looking to the left.

Figure 9 is a view taken on line l9, Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a view taken on line llii, Figure 8.

Figure 11 is a view taken on line H-H, Figure 8.

Figure 12 is a view taken on line iii-i2, Figure '7.

Figure 13 is a top plan view of the drive mechanism for the oven conveyor.

Figure 14: is a side elevational view looking upwardly, Figure 13.

Figure 15 is a view taken on line l-l5, Figure 13.

Figure 16 is a sectional view taken on line l5i6, Figure 4.

Figure 1'? is a plan view of the mould transfer drive mechanism taken on line ll-li, Figure 1.

The ware forming machine is shown generally in Figures 5, '7, 8 and 12, and is of the turret type, wherein the moulds, in which or on which the ware is formed, are advanced to and from the jigger spindle by a turret mould carrier. The mouids, with a quantity of plastic clay therein or thereon, are moved by the mould carrying turret to the ji'gger spindle on which the moulds are deposited and are rotated by the spindle while the ware forming tool is moved into engagement with the clay to form the ware. The actuatin or drive mechanism of the forming machine is enclosed in a cabinet having afiat top wall 29.

A spindle support 2! is mounted centrally on the top 2%, and a spindle 22 is journalled vertically in the support it and has afifixed to its upper end the mould carrying turret 23 which is formed with radially extending arms is terminating at their outer ends in circular mould supports 25. These supports are open at one side, as shown in Figures'3 and 5. The turret is indexed or rotated intermittently by a Geneva disk 26, Figure l2, formed with slots il to receive a roller 33 carried on the free end of a crank arm 29, see Figure 7. The crank arm 29 is amxed to the upper end or a shaft 31') journalled verticaliy in a hub portion 35 of a bracket having side arms 32 afiixed to the under side of the top plate 2i"! and depending therefrom. A beveled gear 33 is aiiixed to the lower end of the shaft 36 and is arranged in mesh with a similar gear 34 fixed to a shaft 35 extending'horizontally and journalled in the depending arms 32 or? the support ing bracket. The shaft 35 is rotated by a motor 36 mounted in the cabinet, the drive bein effected by a transmission belt ii connecting the motor to a gear reducing unit ii, the output shaft of which is connected to the main shaft see Figures 7 and 12.

The turret shaft 22 is arranged for vertical movement in the bearing support 2! and during the ware forming operation the Geneva 265 is positioned below the path traveled by the crank roller 28, see Figure 7, and is locked against rotation by a gib member it fixedly secured to the top plate 25, as by screws it, Figure 12, the arrangement being such that at the end of an indexing operation one of the Geneva slots 2?. is positioned in registration with the gib. Pre' vious to the indexin operation, the shaft 22 and the turret carried thereby are elevated to move the Geneva 25 out of locking engagement with the gib 42- and to position the Geneva for engagement by the crank roller 223.

Vertical reciprocation of the turret is eiiected by a cam 48 mounted on the shaft and which actuates an arm 47 fixed to a shaft 68 iournailed in the lower ends of the depending side arms 32. An arm 49 is afiixed centrally on the shaft 43 and extends inwardly and is connected at its inner end to a pair of links 50, the upper ends of which are connected to the lower end of the turret shaft 22 by means of a rotatable coupling not shown.

The moulds 54 are positioned in a chuck 55 for rotation during the forming operation. The chuck 55 is fixed to the upper end of a spindle 56, Figure 12, journalled vertically in a supporting member all extending upwardly and down Wardly from the top plate 25, Figure The spindle is rotated by a motor 5t through belts El trained over a pulley 62 afiixed' to the lower end of the spindle 5t and a pulley 63 afiixed to the motor shaft.

The arrangement is such that the turret is indexed to position one of the mould carriers 25 in registration with the chuck 55, at which time the turret is lowered by cam 46, as previously described, whereupon the mould is deposited in the chuck. The chuck and mould are then rotated by the motor and a forming tool fixed to an arm 55, Figure 5, is lowered into contact with the clay carried by the mould and the clay formed into a piece of ware. The arm 65 is actuated in timed relation by additional cams mounted on shaft 35. At the completion of the forming operation, the arm [35 and tool is raised and the turret is elevated by the cam 46, raising the mould out of the chuck, and the turret is then indexed to position the mould in registration with a pad or mould support 61. This pad is supported by a stem 68, see Figure 8, extending upwardly from one end of a cross member 69, see Figure 5. A

similar pad 10 is carried by a stem H extending upwardly from the opposite end of the cross member 69. The cross member is mounted intermedi ate its ends on a stem '53 mounted for vertical movement in a supporting member 14, Figure 8, secured to the top plate 20. stem 13 is connected to a link 1'5, the lower end of the link being connected to an arm it formed integral with an arm l1 having a roller 58 engaging the periphery of a cam l9 mounted on shaft 35, the arms 76, TI, forming an angle lever rotatably mounted upon the shaft 48, see Figures 7 and 8. The cam functions to effect vertical reciprocation of the mould supporting pads 5'5, 10. The pads 61, I0 are arranged or spaced in registration with the mould carriers 25 during the dwell period of the turret, at which time one of the mould carriers is alined with the chuck 55. When the mould carrying members 25 of the turret are positioned in registration with the pads 51, 10, the pads are elevated by the cam l2, and the mould with the formed ware therein is removed from the turret by the pad 8?. By mechanism. hereinafter described, these moulds are advanced successively from the pad 5'? through a drier. When the ware is properly dried, it is removed from the moulds and the empty moulds are returned to the pad 18. During each dwell period of the turret, the pads 61-48 are elevated and lowered by the cam 19. When the pad it moves downwardly, it deposits an empty mould The lower end of the in the carrier 25 positioned in registration with the pad. In the apparatus here shown the mould, with the formed ware therein positioned on pad 61', is transferred to an out-feed conveyor 32, and an empty mould is transferred from an iii-feed conveyor 83 to the pad it. The pads are then lowered, whereupon the empty mould is deposited in the carrier 25. The turret is indexed successively by the Geneva 26 and at one of the positions between the pad it and the mould chuck 55, a quantity of plastic clay is placed in or on the mould. The jigger, or ware forming machine, is more fully described in the copending; application of Arthur J. Briggs, Sr. No. 111,032, filed August 18, 1949 and now Patent No. 2,629,159, also owned by the assignee of this application.

The moulds are transferred from the pad 67 and to the pad ill, by a transfer member comprising a cross member support 85 having arms 86, 8?, Figure 5. On the end of each of the arms 86, 8'5, there is mounted circular shaped members 88, 89, respectively. These members are provided with brackets aiiixed to the arms 86, 81, as by screws 9i. Each of the members 88, 89, are formed with four depending portions 92, Figures 8 and 16, to the lower ends of which are pivotally mounted fingers 23 provided with blocks 9% of resilient material at the lower ends. The fingers 83 have inwardly extending projections which coact with a disk member 98 carried on a stem t7 mounted for vertical movement in the members 38, G3, the vertical movement being effected in a downward direction by a compression spring 38', and in an upward direction by the application of compressed air through a hose 99 connected to a supply pipe fail on the under side of a diaphragm illi. Upon the application of air under pressure to the heads 83, 89, the lower ends of the fingers iii are caused to move radially inwardly to grip the rim portion of the mould 5G with suflicient pressure to transfer the mould upon oscillation of the support 85.

The support 85 is amazed to the upper end of a tubular shaft @612 journalled vertically in a bearing m3 mounted on the bottom plate ltd of a boxlike structure having side members Figure 8. The upper portion of the shaft is journalled in a bearing I06 mounted on a plate i i'i fixed on the side walls The shaft @532 has aihxed to its lower end an arm Hill, as by key i 29, Figures 10 and 11, and directly below the arm m8, an arm M9 is journalled upon the shaft and is retained against downward by a snap ring H l positioned in a groove in the shaft. The arms I63, l iii, are formed with enacting stop projections H2, 563 respectively. The arrows are yieldingly urged together with the stops H2, H3, in engagement by helical tension spring 8M, see Figure 10.

A head H5 is pivotally secured to the arm H0 and is apertured to slidably receive a link HE provided at its end with a fixed collar iii abutting against one end of the head member H5, and the opposite end of the head member is engaged by a helical compression spring M8, the opposite end or" which abuts against a co 1 19. The opposite end of the link l 35, Figure 11, is provided with a head lZll aperturcd to receive a crank pin 52E adjustably mounted in a slot [22 formed in a crank. disk 23 affixed to the upper end of a shaft lid. The shaft l2d is journalled vertically in a bearing member 625 carried by the top plate 20 and is provided on its lower end with a spur gear l2? arranged in mesh with a similar gear I28. The gear I28 is secured on a shaft I29, see Figure 12, which is journalled vertically in a bearing support I3!) depending from the top plate 26, see Figure 8. The shaft I29 has affixed to its lower end a miter gear I32 arranged in mesh with a similar gear I33 mounted on the end of the main cam shaft 35, see Figures 7 and 8. Directly above the gear I32, a crank arm I35 is fixed to the shaft and has a roller I36 which is movable into and out of slots I3'I, see Figure 11, in a Geneva disk I38. The Geneva I38 is amxed to the lower end of a shaft I39 journalled vertically in a bearing housing his depending from and extending above the top plate 2c, Fig. 8.

Rotation is thus imparted to the shaft I24 effecting reciprocation of the link H6 and oscillation of the tubular shaft I02 on which the mould transfer members are mounted. The oscillatory movement of the transfer member 85 is controlled by a radial projection I42 on a hub member I43 aflixed to the shaft I02, see Figure 9. This radial projection I42 is arranged to engage arcuate shaped stop members I44 mounted upon the upper bearing member I06, as by screws I45, extending through arcuate slots I47 in each of the members I44 to provide for circumferential adjustment of the members. The springs H4, H8, Figure 10, permit overrun of the link I I 6 in both directions after the projection I42 engages the adjustable stops I44.

The conveyor 82 is in the form of an endless belt movable over a driving sprocket I48 mounted upon a shaft I49 journalled in a boxlike structure having vertical side members I59 and also journalled in a bearin bracket I5I, Figure 5, attached to the front wall of the boxlike structure carrying the bearings I03, I66, for the transfer shaft me.

The conveyor 83 is of similar construction being driven by a sprocket I53 mounted on a shaft I54 journalled in another boxlike structure having side walls IE5. This shaft has aflixed to its inner end a bevel gear I56, and the shaft I49 has a similar gear I 52, these gears meshing with a gear I59 affixed to the upper end of the shaft I39. By this arrangement, intermittent movement is imparted to the conveyors 32, 83, by means of the Geneva I38, the conveyor 82 moving away from the jigger and the conveyor 23 moving toward the jigger.

It will be apparent from the description thus far that moulds with formed ware therein are successively deposited upon the pad 67 and'transferred therefrom to the outgoing conveyor 82 and simuitaneously, empty moulds are transferred from the incoming conveyor 83 and deposited upon the pad to be picked up by the turret mould carriers 25. In other words, the jigger or forming machine is automatically supplied with empty moulds, and filled moulds with formed ware therein, or thereon, are removed from the'jigger.

The conveyors 82, 83, extend outwardly from the jigger in parallel spaced apart arrangement, see Figure 3, the conveyor chains being trained about idler sprockets ace journalled in plates 25M attached to side rail members 242 extending lengthwise of the conveyor. The plates 2M are welded or otherwise secured to the upper of a pair of channel members 203 extending transversely across the ends of the conveyor and being supported by vertical frame members 204, Figures 2 and 6. i

The moulds containing the formed ware are conveyed through a drying oven, not' shown, which may be of the type disclosed in Patent No. 2,470,638 of Clifford H. Parmelee, issued May 17, 1949, also owned by the assignee of this application, by an endless conveyor chain 225 trained over sprockets 20'! having a vertical upward run, as at 208, and a downward vertical run, as at 229. The upward run is trained over a pair of sprockets ZIII, and the downward run over a pair of sprockets H I, see Figure 2.

The oven mould conveyor consists of a series of. carriers provided at their ends with brackets 2I2 attached by trunnions to the chain 2%.

These carriers consist of a plurality of members 2I4, Figure 4, formed with concavities in their sides and being attached at like ends to a rod 2! 5 extending between end members 2 I 6 to which the brackets 2 I 2 are secured. With this arrangement, the conveyor shelves are formed with circular concavities to receive the moulds and these concavities are open along one side of the shelf. The inner side rail member 2t2 of the'conveyor 82 has projecting therefrom a series of stationary shelves or supports 229, these being so spaced as to extend into the concavities of the mould carrying shelves. In this case, the conveyor 82 is mounted outside of the vertical run 2&2, Figure 2, of the drier conveyor.

The outer side rail 202 of the conveyor 83 is provided with similar shelves 22I which also are spaced to extend into the concavities of the mould carrying shelves on the downward run 2% of the mould conveyor. In this case, the conveyor 83 is positioned on the inner side of the downward run of the mould conveyor.

The shelves 226, 22I, are arranged in the plane of the conveyors 82, 8t, and mechanism is pro- Vided for sliding the moulds to and from the respective conveyors and shelves 226, 22I. When the moulds are positioned on the shelves 222, they are engaged by the members 2I4 upon up Ward movement of the upper run 233 of the mould conveyor and are thus picked-off or transferred from the shelves 222 to the mould conveyor carriers. As the conveyors move downwardly in the downward run 249 of the oven conveyor, the moulds are deposited upon the shelves 22I.

It will be observed that there are a plurality of the shelves 22d, 22I. As shown in Figure 4, there are six shelves and the oven mould conveyor shelves are arranged to carry a row of six moulds. Accordingly, it is necessary for the conveyor 32 to be intermittently advanced six staticns in order to provide a mould for each of the shelves 226 and, inasmuch as the downward run 29% of the oven conveyor will simultaneously deposit six empty moulds on the shelves 22I, it is necessary that this conveyor be likewise advanced six steps between intermittent operations of the oven conveyor.

The oven conveyor is driven by a suitable source of power, such as an electric motor not shown, through a drive chain 232, see Figure 13, trained over a sprocket 23f mounted upon a shaft 232 journalled in bearings 233 mounted upon side members 234 of a framework mounted upon the uprights 2%. The sprocket 23I is connected to the shaft 232 through a one revolution clutch indicated at 236, the operating latch 2-31 of which is controlled by a solenoid 238.

The shaft 232, Figure 13, is connected to a shaft 249 through gears 224i, 242, and the shaft 242 has afilxed to it a crank disk 243 provided with three rollers 244 arranged to actuate a Geneva 245 afiixed to a shaft 246. A sprocket wheel 241 is secured to one. end of the shaft 245, and a driving chain 243 is trained over this sprocket, and a sprocket 249 affixed to the shaft on which the conveyor sprockets 2i E, Figure 2, are mounted. The solenoid 238 is energized by a switch c actuated by a cam 25!, Figure 8, mounted on the lower end of the shaft 2'39 iorming part of the drive mechanism for the conveyors 82, 83. The arrangement is such that the switch 259 is closed when the conveyors 82, 83, have been advanced six steps. The solenoid 23s is then energized by the switch 2% and the crank disk 243 is rotated one-third of a revolution to effect one indexing movement of the Geneva 2&5 and thus advance the oven conveyor one step.

Each advancement of the conveyor chain 2&5 carries the descending mould carriers 2M just below the shelves 22| and actuates switch 3 i 2 just prior to the dwell position, as shown in Figure 2. The ascending mould carriers 2M come to dwell position, as shown in Figure 2, just below the shelves 29 at the same time. It is apparent therefor that a row of empty moulds has been picked out of the mould carriers 2-! a by the shelves 2H and the next step in the transfer operation ready to be performed. This transfer is effective by pusher bars 2%, 28!. The pusher bar 283 is mounted upon a beam 282 which, in turn, is supported at each end by a carriage consisting of a plate 283, see Figures 2 and G, on which are journalled rollers 284 positioned between the horizon tally extending channel members 2%. The plate 283 has attached to it and extending toward the center of the machine a rack bar 285 arranged in mesh with the upper side of a pinion 28% mounted on a shaft 287. The pusher bar 28! is supported on a beam 288 carried at its ends by similar carriages formed with plates 299 and having rolls 29! positioned between the channel members 253 and having an inwardly extending rack bar 292 engaging the under side of the pinion 23%. The shaft 28? has aiiixed to one end a pinion 2%. arranged in mesh with a gear or quadrant 295 which is oscillated by a motor 256. The motor 295 is connected to a gear reducer 233, see Figure 17, by belt 2%.

The output shaft of the gear reduction is provided with a gear 3% arranged in mesh with a gear 36!. This latter gear is connected to a sleeve 3B2 journalled in bearings 38%. The sleeve is connected to a shaft 3% journalled in the sleeve through a one revolution clutch indicated at The trip of this clutch is operated by a solenoid 3&6. The outer end of the shaf 384 is fitted with a crank arm Sill which is connected to an arm 313% fixed to the gear 295 by a connecting link 3539.

The arrangement is such that when the solemold 366 is energized, the clutch 395 is unlatched, the shaft 354 makes one revolution during which the gear 295 is rotated in a clockwise direction, Figure 2, and then returned to the position shown in Figure 2. During the clockwise direction of the gear 235 and the pinions 285, the racks 285, 292, are moved toward each other, moving the pusher bars 2%, 2M, inwardly. These bars are provided with notches Sill, there being a notch in registration with each mould and the inward movement of the pusher car 289 engages the moulds on the shelves 22 i and slides them onto the conveyor 83. The pusher bar 2lli engages moulds on the conveyor 82 and slides them onto the shelves 228.

The solenoid 33B is energized by a switch M2, the actuator of which is engaged by the carriers on the oven conveyor in the downward run 299 just before the carriers stop in registration with the shelves 221, and the mechanism for reciprocating the pusher bars 288, 28!, functions during, the dwell period of the oven conveyor.

On the next advance of the oven conveyor, the filled moulds are removed from the shelves 228 by the oven conveyor mould carriers, and a carrier with a row of empty moulds is moved downward depositing a row or moulds on the shelves 22 i.

In operation, a quantity of plastic clay is placed in or on each empty mould carried by the mould supports 25. The turret is intermittently indexed and as each mould with the plastic clay therein is deposited into the mould chuck 55 by downward movement of the turret, the clay is formed into a piece of ware. The mould, with the formed ware therein, is removed from the chuck upon upward movement of the turret and in the next indexing operation, the mould is positioned in registration with the pad fil. On downward movement of the turret and upward movement of the pad ti, the mould is removed from the carrier 25 and positioned on a plane with the conveyor During this operation, the transfer member 35 has moved in a counterclockwise direction, Figure 5, so that when the pad 6? has elevated the mould with the ware thereon, the fingers as will encircle the mould. At this time, cam 32%), Figures '7, 8 and 11, opens the air valve supplying air under pressure to the pipe 323' extending upwardly through the spindle H12. This pipe at its lower end is provided with a swivel union 322 and is connected at its upper end to the hose es. With the compressed air supplied to the under side of the diaphragm Hill, the fingers are moved inwardly gripping the brim of the mould. Thereupon, the transfer member is moved in a clockwise direction, positioning the mould on the carrier 82 and by this operation, an empty mould is transferred from the conveyor 83 to the pad it. At the end of this clockwise movement, cam 32c functions to open the valve 32! connecting the pipe 323 to atmosphere, whereupon the spring Q8 moves the stem 3'? downwardly and moves the fingers 93 outwardly to disengage the moulds.

Since Geneva wheel 938, Figure 11, has six slots therein, upon six indexing movements of the turret and six advancements of the conveyors 62, 83, the solenoid 238 on the oven conveyor drive, Figures 13 and 8, is energized by switch and a mould car ier H2 is moved in juxtaposition to the fixed shelves 220, 22L When the mould carriers are so positioned, the clutch 395, Figure 17, is tripped by the switch 2H2, Figure 2, and the members see, 23L are simultaneously moved towards the shelves 229, 2?. i, to transfer the six filled moulds onto the shelves 226, and to transfer six empty moulds from the shelves 22! to the conveyor 83. Accordingly, the apparatus functions to automatically supply the mould carrying turret of the jiggering machine with empty moulds, and to transfer moulds with ware thereon from the jigger turret to the oven conveyor.

What we claim is:

1. Apparatus for handling pottery ware moulds comprising a drier conveyor having a portion in a vertical loop, said conveyor having a multiplicity of elongated mould carriers, each having a series of uniformly spaced mould pockets adapted to support a row of moulds, a fixed mould support arranged contiguous to the upward run of the conveyor in said loop portion and a fixed mould support arranged contiguous to the downward run of said loop portion, means operable to intermittently advance said conveyor, said carriers and supports being cooperable in the downward run of said loop portion to deposit empty moulds on the mould support contiguous thereto and in the upward run of the conveyor to remove moulds from the mould support contiguous to said upward run, a filled mould conveyor extending horizontally and parallel to the mould support contiguous to the upward run of the drier conveyor exteriorly of said loop and being operable to advance a row of moulds spaced complemental to said pockets in registration with said support, an empty mould conveyor extending horizontally and parallel to the mould support contiguous to the downward run of the drier conveyor interiorly of said loop and being operable to receive and advance a row of moulds from said support, means operable to intermittently move said filled and empty mould conveyors in timed relation to said drier conveyor, and mould pusher bars arranged in juxtaposition to said supports and being movable in a direction transversely thereof, the edges of said bars confronting the supports being formed with notches spaced complemental to said pockets, said pusher bars being operable simultaneously during the dwell period of said conveyors to slide a row of moulds from said filled mould conveyor to the contiguous support, and a row of empty moulds from the mould support contiguous to the downward run of the drier conveyor to said empty mould conveyor.

2. Apparatus for handling pottery ware moulds comprising a drier conveyor having a portion in a vertical loop, said conveyor having a multiplicity of elongated mould carriers, each having a series of uniformly spaced mould pockets adapted to support a row of moulds, a fixed mould support arranged contiguous to the upward run of the conveyor in said loop portion and a fixed mould support arranged contiguous to the downward run of said loop portion, means operable to intermittently advance said conveyor, said carriers and supports being cooperable in the downward run of said loop portion to deposit empty moulds on the mould support contiguous thereto and in the upward run of the conveyor to remove moulds from the mould support contiguous to said upward run, a filled mould conveyor extending horizontally and parallel to the mould support contiguous to the upward run of the drier conveyor exteriorly of said loop and being operable to advance a row of moulds spaced complemental to said pockets in registration with said support, an empty mould conveyor extending horizontally and parallel to the mould support contiguous to the downward run of the drier conveyor interiorly of said loop and being operable to receive and advance a row of moulds from said support, means operable to intermittently move ,said filled and empty mould conveyors in timed relation to said drier conveyor, a pair of guide rails extending transversely of said conveyors, a carriage movably mounted on said guide rails and being normally positioned exteriorly of the downward run of the drier conveyor, a pusher bar mounted on said carriage and being operable upon movement of said carriage toward said empty mould conveyor to slide a row of empty rnoulds from the mould support contiguous to said downward run of the drier conveyor to said empty mould conveyor, a second carriage mounted on said guide rails and being normally positioned exteriorly of said filled mould conveyor, a pusher bar mounted on said second carriage and being operable upon movement of said second carriage toward said filled mould conveyor to slide a row of filled moulds from said filled mould conveyor to the contiguous support, and motion transmitting means operable during the dwell period of said conveyors to simultaneously effect movement of said carriages toward and from said filled and empty mould conveyors.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said pusher bars are each mounted upon carriages mounted on guide rails for movement transversely of said filled and empty mould conveyors, and motion transmitting means common to the carriages of both pusher bars and operable to effect simultaneous movement thereof toward and from said last mentioned conveyors.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,133,565 Kankkonen Mar. 30, 1915 1,549,070 Dillon Aug. 11, 1925 1,885,494 Ulmann Nov. 1, 1932 1,933,226 Smith et al Oct. 31, 1933 2,038,518 Badger et al. Apr. 28, 1936 2,147,055 Perkins Feb. 14, 1939 2,247,787 Schmidt July 1, 1941 2,258,658 Miller Oct. 14, 1941 2,274,842 McCann Mar. 3, 1942 2,428,722 Palmer Oct. 7, 1947 2,452,858 Miller Nov. 2, 1948 2,470,638 Parmelee et al. May 17, 1949 2,499,602 Miller Mar. 7, 1950 

